


The Outsiders

by asongforjuliet



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Multi, Pining, Shy!Farmer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-19 00:28:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29866398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asongforjuliet/pseuds/asongforjuliet
Summary: Four new faces move to Pelican Town. Layla, Cassie, Remy and Taylor. Each looking for their own version of home.
Relationships: Elliott/Leah/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Additional tags to be added as more is written/characters are developed. Talk to me on tumblr @asongforjuliet

The letter felt heavy in her hands. The paper had yellowed slightly, but the writing was thick and dark as ever. It reminded her of the letters she used to share with her grandpa, penned to circumvent the distance between the two of them. When he died, Layla was sure that part of her withered away too. 

"Are you going to open it?" Taylor asks, his voice quiet but assuring her in a way that gave Layla strength. 

She had to do this. It was time. Account management had never been something she was interested in, but as time passed, she found that it was slowly killing her. Her weight dropped, stress levels rose and she found sleep to not come as easily due to a rise in anxiety. Joja Corp didn't care, they only wanted what was best for the company. 

She nodded, breaking the seal on the back and pulling out the letter. 

"No matter what that letter has in it," Cassie says, setting a hand on Layla's arm and pulling her attention away from the familiar lettering of the grandpa, "We're here for you."

"If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change," Layla read, turning her attention from her friend back to the letter, "The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life...real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong." Layla stopped, as the page ended and took a deep breath to move to the second page. In all her life, she hadn't expected her grandpa to be so open about things like this. "I've enclosed the deed to that place," she continued, her eyes widening, "My pride and joy: <name> Farm. It's located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It's a perfect place to start your new life. This was my most precious gift of all, and now it's yours. I know you'll honor the family name, my girl. Good luck. Love, Grandpa."

Her eyes widened as she read the letter. It was too good to be true. The farmstead with it's four little cabins and room to grow would be the best chance she had to get out of the city and to live the life she knew her grandpa would have wanted for her. She remembered the farm, a bit ramshackle and mismatched, from her childhood fondly. 

"I need to put in my two weeks," Layla said after reading the letter again, "and pack. Oh Yoba - I can't believe he gave me the farm."

"Hold on," Remy leaned forward, "You're just going to up and move?"

She nodded, "This feels right. I've always been good with my hands. And I can't keep working at Joja Corp."

"I'm not saying you should but think this through," they say, looking concerned, "Is this something you should just jump head first into?"

Layla huffs out a breath, "Then come live with me." Her eyes widen as the idea takes hold, "Oh my Yoba, that would be amazing. You guys totally should do that. It's a commune so we wouldn't be underfoot of each other each day - we'd each have our own space to work and live. Cassie, Remy, I'm sure we could get Wifi out there or at least a router so that you could work."

Cassie's lips tilt into a smile, "You know, you have an idea there. We're young, dumb and full of promise guys. We could probably make the commune life work. And no rent, right?"

At the mention of rent, Taylor and Remy's eyes glaze over slightly. Taylor shakes his head, "I can't leave right now but maybe in a few months? I could probably Airbnb it until then."

Remy looks at the three of them in mild amusement, "Let's go visit the place and actually see what there is to see. I'm not making any promises."

* * *

Layla was glad that she had put in her two weeks. It was as if a wave of peace had settled over her and, as more accounts were taken from her, the feeling that she was doing the right thing grew. Or maybe it was the fact she had finally slept through the night last night instead of waking up to a panic attack at the idea of going back to work. Either way, she was grinning as she packed up the last of her things and left Joja Corp for the last time. She had a bus ticket and would be meeting Mayor Lewis when she got to Pelican Town - a cute name for the haven she was planning on calling home. 

Sure, packing her things and shipping them to meet her at the farm had drained her bank account but that wasn't the point. The freedom she felt, that was the point. Or at least, that was what she was telling herself. 

* * *

The bus ride was quiet. None of her friends could go with her this first few seasons but Cassie promised to join her once the lease was up at the apartment and with a promise of at least a connection to the internet, she would be moving down to Pelican Town soon. It was a comfort to Layla to know that she wouldn't be alone for too long. 

Lewis, an older man who remembered her grandpa fondly, wasn't alone when he met her, still yawning from waking up so early to catch her bus. Robin introduced herself as the local carpenter and greeted her warmly. 

If only the farm had given as warm of a welcome.

It was in a massive state of disrepair, there was a hole in her porch and trees growing where there should be crops. No longer was it the farm of her memories. Instead, it was an overgrown nightmare. Yoba, she was glad her friends weren't here to see this. 

She felt her face heat up as Robin made a comment on the state of the house, Lewis quickly coming to her rescue. 

The rest of the day went by in a daze. She explored the home, unpacked what little she owned and made sure that at least the bed was set up properly. The house, while a bit dilapidated, had it's charm and the wind didn't run through it like she had been afraid it might. It was easy to collapse on the bed as soon as it was made and pretend that she was back on her grandpa's farm in its heyday. 

* * *

A package arrived the next day, large and intimidating with its contents. Her grandpa's tools and a package of parsnips from Lewis. The old man's kindness made her smile and feel just a bit better about this life choice she had made on - what now felt like - a whim. 

The suggestion to introduce herself to the others in town seemed intimidating - more so than picking up the scythe and cutting down the grass to clear out a space for the parsnips. It certainly felt more daunting than picking up the plow and cultivating the land for those seeds. 

While she was good with her hands, these tools were new to her and it took longer than she had expected for her to complete the tasks. Still, Layla felt a sense of pride in the small lumps of soil as she watered them. They'd grow, she was sure of that. The land was forgiving and would produce a nice harvest. The watering can felt cool and heavy in her hands as she moved to the next seed, carefully making sure it got just enough water before moving onward. 

Next, she tried to tackle the trees that were trying to grow into her house, the closest ones at least. The axe felt heavy and awkward but she managed one, two, three. before the blisters on her hands made her stop. It was late in the day by this point, the sun nearly setting and Layla was surprised by how much time had actually passed and by how much work she had actually completed. 

As she walked past the parsnip seeds, a little lumpy and not uniform in the slightest, she found herself smiling. Maybe this wasn't a mistake. Maybe she was looking at it from the wrong angle. The farm just needed tending to and she could do a little bit each day before her strength gave out. Chop a few trees, tend to her plants. That was easy to do. 

Maybe she could do this. 

Her smile dimmed from bright to tentative as she walked past the bus stop and into town. She wished she had Remy at her side. They were always better with people. But she was alone, she reminded herself, and it was time to figure out where the heck the food was. 

The cobblestones were darkening as the sun set on Pelican Town and, truly, it seemed like a picturesque place to live. There was a saloon, with music playing down the street when a door opened up that Layla assumed was where her grandpa ate dinner each night since there wasn't a kitchen in the house. With that in mind and with a grumbling stomach, she made her way there.

The place was cheery and a woman with blue hair greeted her enthusiastically as Layla entered. 

"Hi, I'm Emily, are you the new farmer that Lewis was talking about?" she asked, walking with Layla to the bar. 

With a small gulp, Layla nodded, "Yeah, I moved in yesterday."

"Well welcome to Pelican Town," she tells her with a grin, as a menu is produced, "I hope you like it here. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call out, okay?"

Layla found herself nodding again, feeling a bit out of sorts at the warm welcome. The people of Pelican Town seemed more welcoming than those in Zuzu City, at least from what little interactions she had so far. The menu, though sparse, had a few good choices and it was only a matter of time before Layla was out on the cobblestone again going home. 

Perhaps this would be a good thing. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Layla moves to Pelican Town and meets people.

"You're doing alright there?" Cassie's voice was full of concern, "You can always come back to Zuzu City if you need to. We won't judge you if your plants don't grow."

Layla laughed, "It's just a few blisters. I'm really getting some progress on the farm. Chopped down a few more trees today and I planted cauliflower too." Sure it had wiped out most of her earnings but the payout seemed like it would be better than the parsnips had.

"I'm just worried," she said, "I don't like you being all on your own."

"I'm doing better now that my first harvest sold last night," Layla told her, "I'm gaining weight again and I've been sleeping through the night. It's been good." 

"You've been sleeping through the night because you're exhausted," she argued. 

Cassie wasn't wrong. Layla had been falling asleep early due to how tired she was cleaning up the farm. It had been worth it though. The farm already looked a million times better with part of the land cleared out and tilled. The parsnips the Lewis had gifted her with had grown and been sold, filling her with a sense of pride that she hadn't felt before.

"I'm not leaving, I like it here," Layla said, a hint of stubborness seeping through, "Look at this parsnip I made."

"Lemme see!" Remy said, pushing Cassie out of the way to appear on the phone's screen, "That's a good looking parsnip, Lay! Proud of you."

Layla beamed at Remy. They were always good at making sure she felt appreciated. "When do you think you'll be able to make it to Pelican Town? I miss you guys."

"We miss you too. It's not the same without you here," they reply, "Have you met anyone in town yet?"

"A few people, not many," she said, trying her best to not look uncomfortable, "There's Emily at the Saloon and Robin the carpenter and Lewis the mayor. I've been busy just cleaning up the farm mainly. I got a letter in the mail a few days ago from some guy named Willy - I might go meet him on the beach later on."

"Ooh a beach date," Cassie teased, though still out of camera shot, "Wear something cute."

"Not a beach date," Layla rolled her eyes, "He said he had something to give me - no idea what but I might as well see what happens, right?"

"Just be safe, Lay," Remy said, concern leaking into their voice, "I don't want you hurt."

"I feel safe in Pelican Town. More so than Zuzu City ever felt."

"That's good," Remy let out a quiet sigh, "We just worry about you. We want you to get healthy again."

Layla nods, "Yeah, I get that - and I'm working on it. I've been eating more lately too. The work on the farm is really helping with my appetite. So don't worry about me, okay?"

"We always will," Cassie chimes in, "I just wish we could be there to help you now instead of in a few seasons."

Though Layla didn't say it, she wished it too. It was lonely without them around her all the time and, while she knew she should introduce herself to the townsfolk, she was nervous to do so. But she liked what she had seen so far: people talking and going about their own business without any care it seemed. It just made it seem like she was really an outsider looking in on their town instead of a part of it. 

She looked out to the Cindersap Forest and let out a contented sigh. A woman was walking towards the lake and tossed her a smile as she passed Layla. 

"Oh you're turning red! What just happened?" Cassie asked, pushing Remy out of the view of the cell phone.

Layla shook her head, "Sorry - I got distracted and there was a townsperson who walked past me." Twin oohing sounds came from her speakers, making Layla's face heat up more, "Shut up. Nothing happened. She was just really pretty - it suprised me."

Cassie's laugh drifts up, "Oh, please never change."

* * *

She introduced herself as Leah a few hours later. "Sorry - I didn't want to interrupt your phone call but are you the new farmer?"

Layla nearly dropped her new fishing rod that Willie had given her. A kind older man who remembered her grandpa - she wished she remembered him from when she was a child. 

"What? Me?" Her hands tighened against the bamboo, "I mean, yeah, that's me. The new farmer."

Leah's grin widened, "It's nice to meet you. I live in the little house by Marnie's just by the Forest. It's almost like we're neighbors."

She was not prepared to talk to someone so chatty just yet. "Yeah, that's really cool. Is Marnie the one with the cows?"

"You haven't met Marnie yet? She's a sweetheart. Her nephew Shane and his god daughter live with her and she sells animals if you have coop or barn - you should introduce youself sometime."

Layla found herself nodding, "I've been meaning to do that. It's been busy with getting the farm back to sorts."

"Oh for sure, I've seen it," there's a quiet chuckle that Layla would gladly hear again, "But listen to me, rambling on about what you should and shouldn't do. I'm probably scaring away all your fish."

She let out a quiet, "Oh, right," as she looked at her fishing rod and the line that went into the lake. She had been fishing. 

"I'll see you around farmer," Leah said with another one of those quiet chuckles before disappearing into the brush of the forest. 

* * *

The farm was coming together quite nicely if Layla had anything to say about it. The trees around the first house had fallen and the land had been tilled for crops. Sure, watering in the morning was a beating but it gave her an opportunity to prepare for the day and organize her thoughts. 

Her cauliflower were growing as were the tulips she has splurged on with the parsnip and fishing earnings. They were a bit more finicky that the cauliflower but Layla found that she enjoyed the gardening anyway. Maybe, in the next season, she'd talk to Robin about investing in some sprinklers. True, it would require a trip to the mines and, after an initial look, she hadn't been very excited about it - especially with only a rusty sword. 

She hadn't gone far into the mines, just a few levels but there were monsters down there and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that kind of adventure. Farming was all right and well but she wasn't sure mining was for her. It seemed like it would suit Taylor though.

A lot of things in Pelican Town would probably suit her friends: fishing with Remy and exploring the beach and forest with Cassie. Yoba, she couldn't wait until they were all together again. 

The tulips waved in the breeze, gently moving along with it as Layla walked towards town for her nightly dinner. She had met Pam and Shane, though only one seemed somewhat happy to meet her, at the saloon the previous night and they were both there again tonight. Pam gave her a small wave from behind her glass while Shane nodded, after Emily shot him a hard look. Emily, it seemed, was determined that Layla have a good welcome to town and grinned at her when their eyes met. 

"Dinner time already?"

Layla nodded, "Yup. What's Gus got on the menu for today?"

"Spaghetti and homemade garlic bread! It smells amazing. Want a plate?"

Another nod, "Yeah, that sounds great." 

"Gonna eat here tonight?" she asked, "The bar always gets a bit lively on Fridays. It's a good time to meet people."

Shane snorts into his beer, "Yeah, because that's what everyone wants to do here. Trust me, farmer, you're not missing anything."

"Layla you need to meet people," Emily argued, "S'not healthy. Living on that big farm alone without talking to anyone. People need people."

"I think I'm good for now," she said, "besides, I wouldn't know where to begin."

"People've been calling you Farmer so a name's probably a good start," Shane mumbled.

"Exactly! You can meet Clint and Willie - they one the blacksmith shop and fish shop. Oh and Marnie comes in tonight too! Oh and Leah and Elliot usually will have a pint while they talk about artsy stuff. And Sam, Sebastian and Abigail take up the pool table in the other room. It's pretty packed."

"Sounds like the whole town's gonna be here," Layla said, "Maybe I'll get that food to go."

"Layla no," she dragged the word out, "Stay. I'll be right here all night if you need a break."

She was right. In an eerie way that reminded her of Remy, Layla knew Emily was right. She just hated the awkward first meeting. 

Clint was the first one who came over, looking a bit nervous, but introduced himself after ordering a drink from Emily. That seemed to open floodgates for others to stop by, Marnie and Abigail - who suggested that when Layla's roots start coming in, she reach out to Abigail's mother to redye her hair. Robin introduced her to her husband - Demetrius, before being pulled back to the dance floor. 

"It's good to see you out Farmer," the all too familiar voice of Leah said, as Emily cleared the mostly finished meal, "You're pretty hard to find when you want to be."

That made Layla grin, "I promise I'm not trying to be. I just like being on the farm - or by the lake."

"Well we can't keep calling you Farmer," the man beside Leah said, brushing his hair over his shoulder, "What's your name?"

"Layla. Layla Wendell," she tells him, the introduction coming a bit easier as the night continued, "And you?"

"Elliott," he said with a broad grin, "I live on the beach - I find that it helps my writing."

Layla's eyes widen, "My friend’s a writer too. That’s really cool.”

“It’s nothing compared to Leah’s art,” Elliott tells her with a bit of an embarrassed look, “I haven’t even finished a story yet.”   
  
Leah’s hand comes up to rest on Elliott’s broad shoulder, “You will though,” she said cheerfully, as if it were already decided, “And I’ll be the first to read it.”

A long suffering sigh escapes from his lips and Layla found herself matching their smiles. The two were clearly close and Layla found herself wanting to get to know them more. 

“- come to the Saloon on Fridays and Sundays to catch up,” Leah was saying as Layla pulled herself back into the present, “You should join us.”

“Oh yes, that would be delightful,” Elliott agreed, “You should definitely join us. Emily, could I have another glass of wine?” One is placed in front of Layla and, as she hands it off, Elliott’s fingers move against her own, “Careful. Wouldn’t want you to drop it.”

Not for the first time, Layla wished it took more to make her face heat up.

“Uh, yeah, I could come by on Sundays. I don’t want to intrude.”

“Darling, how could it be intruding if we’ve invited you?” Elliott asked, looking mildly confused. 

Leah’s smile grew slightly, “We did ask. And we’re pretty fun to hang around, if I do say so myself.” The was a tone in her voice that sounded like she was second guessing herself. 

“Oh, then I’ll be there,” Layla hurriedly tells the two of them, finding herself meeting their gaze and smiling slightly. She heard Shane snort into his beer in the background, no doubt having been witness to the entire exchange. It was easier to ignore him. The two in front of her, they were going to be trouble. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin's axe has gone missing and a few conversations take place

"So you're telling me that two very attractive people came and talked to you - invited you to go drinking with them tomorrow and you didn't flirt with either of them?" Remy asked, sounding incredulous, "Layla, you're better than that."

"No I'm not," she laughed, wiping her brow as she leaned back on the steps of the front porch, "I got nervous and tongue tied. I'm just happy they wanted to hang out. I was so awkward, Rem. It was a mess."

"I'm sure it was fine babe. You just get in your own head too much sometimes," they say and Layla knew that if they were next to her, there would be an arm thrown around her shoulder, "Just...flirt a little more next time if you're interested. You never know, you know?"

"But what if they're together?"

"So? At least you'll know and you never know - they might be interested in adding a partner," they waggle their eyebrows, "But you won't be asking yourself what if."

Layla sighed, cupping her chin in her palm, "How'd you get to be so smart?"

"Lots of failed relationships and an obnoxious optimism about the next one," they said promptly, before laughing a bit to themself, "Looks, it's not about smarts. You're plenty smart. You just have to have a bit more self confidence in yourself. I can't wait to be there next season - help out with the harvest when my book is done. Maybe this Elliott and I could bounce ideas off each other."

"Oh man, let me show you what I've been growing," she stood, changing the view from facing her to away from her as Remy settled into their spot a bit more, "Okay. So the cauliflower are growing. There's only a few of them until I get some more copper bars to make sprinklers. That's fine - but look!" She quickly moves the lense to the budding flowers, "Tulips! They're growing so fast!"

One of Layla's favorite things about Remy was that when they were truly happy, it was as if they smiled with their entire body. And it seemed to radiate from the phone. "Layla, that's so amazing. I'm so proud of you."

She grinned at the words, they meant more than they would ever know. 

"Look at me, just rambling about how cool these bulbs are," she said, with a small chuckle, "Tell me about your book. How'd your editor like the latest chapters?"

"It's going well. I think it'll be done before I move to Pelican Town thankfully," they say, "Starla about had a conniption when she found out I was moving to a place that might not have WiFi."

"Hey! I got that fixed for us. There's a router and everything in your home," she cut in. 

Their eyes widen, "Yeah? Awesome. Because I was totally fine with living off the grid for a little bit but not the rest of my life. I don't know how you do it."

Laughter bubbled up, "I'm finding that I really like it. I made a salad last night from things I foraged in the forest. It was wonderful." She settled further into her seat to talk to her friend.

* * *

"Egg. Festival?" Layla said to herself, looking at the bulletin board, "What the hell is that?"

"It's great. The whole town comes out," Lewis tells her, putting up a sheet of paper next to her, "There's food and drinks and an egg hunt. Some of the kids are really invested in winning. Abigail has won the last few years."

"Oh," Her attention is pulled to the board again, "Should I bring anything?" She wasn't sure if the cauliflower would be ready for harvest by then.

He shook his head, "No just bring yourself and be ready to have fun."

“What’s got you two huddled together?” the familiar voice of Gus asked, jovial as always as he stopped in front of Pierre’s door.

Lewis leaned back and put his hands on his hips, “Just talking about the Egg Festival coming up. It’ll be Layla’s first one.”

Gus nodded, “Ah, you’ll have a lot of fun. I’ve been prepping for this day all season. We’ll have a ton of various egg themed foods. Most of them from Marnie’s farm too.”

Layla nodded. Perhaps she would go. It’d be a good, hopefully low key, way to get to know the rest of the town and Gus was cooking - that was always a good thing. “I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t think for too long, it’s only a few days away,” Gus joked, wagging a finger at her before entering the store. 

* * *

“I left it somewhere south of Marnie’s house,” Robin had told her, looking morose, “I can’t believe I lost my favorite axe. Thanks again for looking for it for me.”

Layla nodded, holding the letter she had in her hand loosely, “Yeah, it’s not a problem.” Her pickaxe was being upgraded by Clint anyway and, with it raining as hard as it had all day, there was little else she could do. “I’ll check out the forest and see if I can find anything.”

As she left, she gave Demitrius and Maru a small wave and a smile as they walked towards his study. 

The forest was quiet, save for the falling noise of rain, and Layla took a moment to enjoy the peacefulness of it all. Even with the rain falling on her jacket and hood, it did little to stop the smile from growing on her face. This was what she had longed for when she left Zuzu City and her job at Joja Corp. It felt strange that it had been less than a season and she already felt far better than she thought she would. Her hands were becoming quiet calloused and she often went to bed exhausted from the work but it was good work, honest and true. 

She took another deep breath before opening her eyes, spotting Leah walk towards town. She stopped when the pair’s eyes met and a large smile bloomed on Leah’s face. Layla liked that about her, how easily she seemed to smile. 

There was a small daffodil that Layla had picked up, hoping to give it to Leah or Elliott at some point. She wasn’t sure why, just that it reminded her of them. 

She hurried over to Leah, trying to keep the smile from her face and finding that she didn’t care so much that she was failing at it. 

“Farmer, it’s good to see you,” Leah said, looking completely at ease in the rain, “What do you do on the rainy days, when you don’t have to take care of your crops?”

“I work the rest of the land and sometimes go into the mines,” Layla said, not expecting the question, “But Clint’s working on my pickaxe right now so I’m doing a favor for Robin.”

“Clint’s a really good blacksmith,” Leah nods slightly, “I’m headed to Pierre’s to pick up a new watercolor set I ordered. I’m really excited to use it - if the rain doesn’t wash it away first.”

Layla laughed, “I’m sure you’ll make something work - you seem like someone who can think quickly on her feet.”

The daffodil was just in a side pocket in Layla’s backpack, it wouldn’t take anything to give it to her. 

“We’ll see you tomorrow at the saloon, right?” Leah asked after a beat of silence.

“Oh, yeah,” Layla said, pulled from her thoughts, “I’ll be there.”

Leah grinned again before giving a small wave as she trotted towards Pierre’s General Store and Layla made her way deeper into the Cindersap Forest. 

Coward.


	4. Chapter 4

“Layla you made it,” Elliott said with clear excitement in his voice as Layla made her way towards the two of them, “Leah wasn’t sure if you would come.”   
  


Leah shoved Elliott gently, “I just said that I saw you fishing by the river and the lake today and wasn’t sure if you’d be up for going out tonight after that. It looked like hard work.”

“It was relaxing for a little bit but then I kind of got swept up in it,” Layla said with a small laugh, rubbing her neck, “I don’t think I’m all that cut out for fishing but I like to spend the day doing it after the farm’s been taken care of. Oh! Speaking of -” she rummaged in her bag, “I wanted to give you guys something.” Twin tulips emerged from the satchel, surprisingly not crushed by her tools. 

“Oh, how marvelous,” Elliott told her, smelling the bloom, “It’s beautiful.”

“You guys - and Emily of course - were so nice to me, it’s the least I could do,” Layla said, feeling her face heat up, “And I like giving gifts. I hope it’s not too weird.”

“No, not at all,” Leah grinned at her, a soft one from behind the tulip, “They’re perfect.” She looked over at Elliott before adding, “So tell us, what brings you to Pelican Town?”

“Oh,” Layla fiddled with her drink slightly, “It’s a boring story - I hated life in the city and was looking for something new, really. Something that I could really put myself in and get something back - I wasn’t getting that in my old job.”

Leah nodded, “That’s kind of why we both came out here too. Elliott for his writing and me for my art. We just needed the peace to find our own voices out here.” She took a sip of her beer and smiled over at Elliott, “I think we moved in about a season apart from each other and it’s been the two of us ever since.”

“Well the two of us and the lovely people of Pelican Town,” Elliott added, “They’ve been very welcoming.”

“Caroline has already offered to do my hair when the roots come in,” Layla agreed, fiddling with one of her braids. The teal color was fading slightly already though she rather liked the pastel look it was taking on. 

“That’s nice of her,” Leah said, letting her chin rest on her palm, “And the rest of the town? Are they being welcoming too?”

Layla nodded, “I haven’t talked to many of them but they’ve been nice for the most part.”

The pair took sips of their respective drinks, almost mirroring each other in their movements. The action made Layla smile softly though she didn’t know why. 

“Careful,” Elliott said, matching the smile from behind his wine glass, “That kind look is dangerous.”

Layla wanted to ask what he meant by that but found herself flushing instead, knot in her throat. When Leah changed the subject, she took another sip of her beer and found herself wishing that she wasn’t such a coward. 

* * *

The axe was by the sewer and by the time Robin had finished thanking Layla for finding it again,Layla’s pockets were a little heavier. She hadn’t wanted to take the money - it was just a favor for a friend after all - but Robin insisted. So Layla acquiesced before mentioning how she was interested in collaborating to create some sprinklers for the farm. Robin looked intrigued and pulled out her blueprints.

“I’ve got a few designs already but I’d need you to supply the copper and iron bars for the basic or iron and gold bars and refined quartz for the upgraded version,” she said, letting Layla take a look at the pages.

“I’ve got some quartz but the gold bars are going to take me a bit,” Layla said with a small sigh, “I hate the mines.”

Robin nodded, “Is it true that there’s monsters in there?”

“Yeah,” Layla sighed again, “And I’m just not strong enough to get past the first few levels. I can make some copper bars but that’s about it.”

“Then you should talk to Clint about upgrading your watering can and hoe. It’ll cost a pretty penny but I think, for now at least, that might be the best way to go.”

Thinking it over, Layla nodded, “Maybe I will go that route. I want to plant more crops and simply watering one at a time won’t be time effective. You’re still going to work on my silo tomorrow though, right?”

Robin grinned, packing away the design book, “You betcha. It’ll be real useful come summertime when you can harvest the hay from all that grass on your land. And when you buy a coop from me.” She winked which made Layla laugh and she pushed herself off the counter.

“We’ll see. I don’t know if I’m going to go into the animal business or not but I’m definitely interested in learning more about it. I want to make sure the farm is up to par before that though.”

Robin made a noise of agreement as she waved Layla out, “Go, enjoy the day. I’ll see you tomorrow at the Egg Festival.” 

* * *

“Oh you’ve got to participate in the Egg Hunt,” Emily said excitedly. 

Jodi nodded, “The children would love to see another adult play along with them.”

“And someone who can give Abigail a run for her money,” Emily agreed, “She wins every year.”

Layla thought about it for a moment before nodding as well, “I might as well join, right? I mean, it is the season. Oh man, I wish my friends could see this now.” 

Pelican Town had been decorated with buffet tables and even a little rabbit cut out to take photos of - which Layla had quickly asked Emily to do. She met Elliott’s gaze then, stepping out from behind the rabbit cut out to reach for her phone. He winked, which made her flush, and smiled at her but didn’t move from his conversation with Leah and Caroline. 

“Here - you look so cute!” Emily said, handing over the phone. The moment was over and Elliott turned his attention back to the pair in front of him. It was easy for her grin to grow as Caroline wandered over to talk to Robin and she could see the tips of Elliott’s ears redden as Leah said something to him. 

She sent the photo in the group chat and slid her phone away. There would be plenty of time later on to answer their questions. She stuck close to Emily, making the rounds with her before Mayor Lewis announced it was time to start the race. 

“Go, win!” Emily told her, pushing a basket in Layla’s hands before shoving her gently towards the other competitors.

Laughing quietly to herself, Layla listened to Lewis and watched as Vincent and Jas nearly vibrated with anticipation. At his mark, she hurried to find the hidden eggs.

Abigail went in the opposite direction, nearly running to find the eggs. One, two, three went into Layla’s basket as she moved quickly from one location to the next.

It seemed like such a short amount of time before Lewis ended the hunt, calling them all back to the center of the town. Eggs were counted and Layla gave Vincent a high five at his four eggs, though he was immediately frustrated when he found out that Jas had beaten him by one this year, much to her surprise. 

“And the winner of the Egg Hunt is Layla!” Lewis said, pulling out a straw hat and handing it over. It was a sturdy hat, one she immediately donned and would be useful when she had to work in the sun. 

The smile on her face grew as she met up with Emily again, “What do you think? Does it suit me?”

“With your hair braided like that, you look like a true farmer,” Emily told her, “It has good energy coming from it, I can tell.”

“Oh, good,” Layla said, adding in a teasing tone, “I can always use more good energy. Maybe it’ll move to my green beans. C’mon, those deviled eggs look amazing.”


End file.
